by Hadley Henriette
On September 27, 2024, a court ruling declared the current recommended level of fluoride added to water, an "unreasonable risk to health." And now, the EPA is compelled to further investigate. For those of us who have learned about the effects of fluoride on developing brains, aging bones, and calcification of the pineal gland, it was a win.
Indeed, fluoride can help protect against cavities, but there is a good reason why you can't swallow your toothpaste. It's toxic.
That's because fluoride is only "safe" in tiny doses and most people don't know their total exposure from all sources. If you couple this with the fact that people who brush twice a day and drink fluoridated water often still get cavities and that there are safer, more effective active toothpaste ingredients such as hydroxyapatite, the risk seems even less worth taking.
Fluoride is an undesirable byproduct of manufacturing fertilizer, aluminum and iron ore. Robert F. Kennedy has advocated for removing it from the United States' drinking water. He has also stated that—even if you fluoride is great—drinking fluoridated water is a "terribly inefficient way" to get fluoride on your teeth.
"We don't need fluoride in our water."
- Robert F. Kennedy
Adding fluoride to drinking water is not where fluoride exposure ends for people. It just adds to total load. Additional exposure occurs from antibiotics (Cipro), common daily medications (Flonase, Ubrevly) as well as from toothpaste, mouth wash, and dental treatments, which add to cumulative toxic risk. Read my personal story here.
There are a lot of things we know in 2025 that we didn't in 1945, when water fluoridation began. We now understand that fluoride damages mitochondria when ingested, which affects the developing brain. A systemic review conducted by the National Toxicology Program of the US Department of Health and Human Services reported a 1-point drop in IQ for each .28mg/L of fluoride in a pregnant mother's urine.
Today, the vast majority of people in the US have access to running water, a toothbrush and toothpaste. Basic dental care is still expensive, but far more accessible than 75 years ago. For the small percentage of the population that doesn't have the means to buy toothpaste and toothbrushes, providing those would be a worthy government program indeed.
A program like that —or even one providing dental care— would cost less than the expense of the ailments caused by mitochondrial dysfunction such as ADHD, Alzheimers, Autism Spectrum Disorder (1 in 36 children are now affected) and more. The average per capita cost of a person with ASD is $3.6M over their lifetime. It's a problem the US is spending $306M a year to research. But they aren't looking at the most important and glaring cause: toxic chemicals in our food, air, and water that damage our mitochondria. Like many tragedies, it's not just one thing, but rather an accumulation of insults.
Remineralizing, fluoride-free toothpaste made with hydroxyapatite, has been used in Japan since the 1980s. It is is composed mostly of phosphorus and calcium, which is naturally occurring in bones and teeth. It is very effective and recently popular in Canada and Europe. I have personally used it for three years and had great results.
Even if you are healthy as a horse and don't know anyone with a chronic disease or neurodiversity, removing fluoride from your water would still likely be a net positive for your health. That is, unless you don't brush your teeth. Then it might help you a bit.
It is arguable that aligning with RFK helped Trump win the 2024 election. MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) has a more universal appeal that helped sway many voters. RFK has been tasked with meaningfully reducing the rates of chronic disease and obesity in America. We hope the Trump administration will be able to deliver on this and other wellness-related promises.
The science, in case you are interested:
Fluoride can exacerbate mitochondrial dysfunction because it inhibits certain cellular enzymes and increases the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). For individuals already dealing with mitochondrial damage from seed oils, high fructose corn syrup or medication with fluoride, exposure to fluoride in drinking water might further disrupt mitochondrial function, leading to enhanced oxidative stress and impairing cellular energy metabolism.
The increased ROS and the additional inhibition of mitochondrial enzymes can contribute to a worsening of the symptoms and diseases associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, which is often the cause of disease.
Still want fluoride in your drinking water?
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